No.16 - Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society

PERSISTENT WRECKAGE 

For the third time in less than eighteen 

months, a large ship foundered in Gibraltar 

waters, this time closer than ever. During the 

stormy night of 10th to 11th October 2008, the 

Fedra crashed onto the cliffs on the east side of the 

Rock right at Europa Point. Fortunately a heroic 

rescue operation ensured that, despite appalling 

conditions, no-one was injured and no lives were 

lost. 

Oil from the Fedra reaching 

Camp Bay on the day of the 

storm 

Whenever such an event occurs, 

environmentalists quickly turn their 

minds to the possible impact on the 

environment. Fortunately the area of 

cliff along which the Fedra struck was 

low enough to allow relatively easy 

access for both rescue and recovery, 

and did not require disturbance of cliff 

communities. Just a few hundred 

metres further north a pair of peregrines 

would have been disturbed, and 

a little further the colony of Western 

Mediterranean Shags would have 

been affected. 

The vessel was a bulk carrier, and so the overwhelming 

spillage of oil, which would have been 

the major threat if it had been an oil tanker, was 

never present, but the fuel tanks were affected and 

spillage of fuel oil occurred. 

While the amount of fuel that spilt was not 

huge, it was sufficient to be washed along to the 

south-west shoreline, especially from Little Bay to 

Rosia Bay, where much of it gathered. 

Oil from the Fedra entering the Bay 

the day after the storm 

Winter 2008 / 2009 - No. 16 

Almost immediately the effect became apparent 

when a number of shags and a cormorant were 

seen affected by oil to various degrees. While they 

were able to swim and fish, they could not fly and 

the continuous preening, and therefore ingesting 

of the oil, almost certainly meant that they eventually 

perished – although no dead birds were found. 

Oil washed ashore and covered areas of rocky 

habitat, and in the areas affected there was evidence 

of dead littoral species, including sea slugs,

GIBRALTAR NATURE NEWS 

2 

PERSISTENT WRECKAGE – THE 

FEDRA 1 & 16 

EDITORIAL 2 

STAMPS ON BIRDS 2 

GIBMANATUR INTERREG PROJECT 3 

SMIR WETLANDS 4 & 5 

GIBRALTAR AND THE STRAIT 6 & 7 

EL BUJEO 8 & 9 

MONARCH BUTTERFLIES 10 

BIRDING SCENE 10 

EUROPEAN BAT NIGHT 10 

INTERNATIONAL CAVE MONITORING 

FIELD WORKSHOP 11 

CAPE TRAFALGAR 12 & 13 

TETOUAN – MOUNTAINS AND 

COASTLINE 14 & 15 

The articles on pages 4-5, 6-7,8-9,12-13, 

and 14-15 are generated by GIBMANA- 

TUR I and II, the EU-Gibraltar 

Government co-funded Interreg IIIA 

Project partnership between the Gibraltar 

Ornithological & Natural History Society 

and the University Mohammed V 

Rabat-Agdal. 

Leslie Linares 

Charles Perez 

Keith Bensusan 

John Cortes 

Janet Howitt 

Jean Paul Latin 

PHOTO CREDITS 

Published by the 

Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society 

Natural History Field Centre, Jewsʼ Gat e, 

Upper Rock Nature Reserve 

P.O.Box 843, Gibraltar 

Tel. 200 72639 - Fax. 200 74022 

e-mail: naturenews@gonhs.org 

http//:www.gonhs.org 

Editorial team: 

John Cortes, 

Leslie Linares, 

Charles Perez, 

Keith Bensusan. 

Dave Mattey 

Mohamed Mouna 

Eric Shaw 

Ian Thompson 

Harry Van Gils 

Designed and printed by 

Roca Graphics Ltd. Gibraltar 

21 Tuckeys Lane, Gibraltar. 

Tel. +350 200 57955 

Editorial 

ANOTHER YEAR LOOMING 

As another year gets into gear, many feel 

that Gibraltar is largely buffered from the socalled 

economic crisis that the developed 

world has entered, although probably the 

drop in value of the pound sterling against 

the euro will itself hit Gibraltar hard enough. 

We need to take a moment to consider how 

the situation is likely to affect the natural environment. 

Like so much in life, it is a doubleedged 

sword. On the one hand it is possible 

that the galloping demand by firms to build 

over more and more of Gibraltar will 

decrease, especially when the developers are 

companies that may be feeling the crunch 

elsewhere. While no-one will welcome what 

this may mean to those employed in the construction 

industry, there is no doubt that 

Gibraltar can do with some breathing space 

At the beginning of the year the Gibraltar 

Philatelic Bureau issued a definitive series of 

stamps depicting a selection of some of 

Gibraltar’s most charismatic birds. The birds 

were chosen by GONHS, who were consulted 

by the designer Stephen Perera. They include 

some of our most attractive and spectacular 

migrants and more interesting resident birds: 

among them raptors, passerines and 

seabirds. 

Stephen prepared the designs with the 

help of good photographs and a selection, 

supplied by GONHS, of views of the habitats, 

which the birds frequent during their stay on 

the Rock. The resulting designs were 

astounding, and these were sent to the illustrator 

in the United Kingdom, Jonathan 

Pointer, who with a marvellous artistic flair, 

managed to capture the atmospheric qualities 

and lighting, to produce a truly magnificent 

set of stamps. 

The thirteen designs, cover values from 

1p to £5, among which the Bee-eater is used 

locally, the Blue-Rock Thrush for postage to 

the United Kingdom and the Hoopoe for let- 

GIBRALTAR STAMPS 

to take stock of where urban development 

can go to next. On the other hand, the economic 

downturn may make people think twice 

before investing in new clean or environmentally 

friendly technologies, while at the same 

time there will be a positive incentive to 

reduce consumption of water and electricity in 

order simply to save money. 

However it affects the environment, one 

thing is sadly true. As the consumers in the 

consumers’ world tighten their belts they’ll be 

thinking less about the green around them 

and more about the green in their pockets. 

The difficult times for the capitalist economies 

may not necessarily be better times for 

Nature. 

John Cortes 

ters to the European Union. 

The set is available online from the 

Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau at 

http://www.gibraltar-stamps.com.

GIBMANATUR: 

Gibraltar-Morocco Interreg Project news 

The Gibraltar-Morocco Interreg IIIA 

Project GIBMANATUR (I and II), a collaboration 

between GONHS and the Institut 

Scientifique of the Université Mohammed V 

Rabat-Agdal, has sadly come to an end. The 

project, which started in 2003 with a major 

conference on the Barbary macaque, has 

been a great success. One of its main aims 

was to establish close links between Gibraltar 

and Morocco and it has done so overwhelmingly 

well. 

Among the main activities of the project 

was a bird ringing programme during the 

spring and autumn months of 2004 to 2008. 

The operations were extremely successful and 

5344 birds were processed in total. The 

species present and their patterns of occurrence 

have revealed interesting facts about 

the marshes of Restinga-Smir, as a site. Smir 

is an important wintering site for Penduline 

Tits: it has emerged that they are regular here 

and nowhere else in Morocco, and the population 

is larger than anyone had thought. 

Extensive surveys of birds in different habitats 

in the area have also been carried out, as well 

as surveys in other areas, especially wetlands, 

of northern Morocco. 

Another important part of Interreg was 

the extensive winter surveys of wetland birds 

in northern Morocco, a contribution to the 

national wetland bird count co-ordinated 

every year by the Institut. Areas covered by 

the GONHS team include Smir on the 

Mediterranean coast to Asilah and Larache 

on the Atlantic side. 

Interesting results have been obtained 

both from the ringing data and the bird surveys. 

Some of the species recorded are rare 

in Morocco and any records of these contribute 

to knowledge of their status and distribution. 

These include: Great Bittern, Little 

Bittern, Great Egret, Marbled Duck, 

Ferruginous Duck, Great Bustard, Spotted 

and Little Crake, Jack Snipe, Lesser Crested 

Tern, Moustached Warbler, Penduline Tit, 

Alpine Chough and Tree Sparrow. Other 

species recorded are true vagrants: Ringnecked 

Duck, Rüppell’s Vulture, Icterine 

Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Hooded 

Crow. 

As part of the bird ringing programme, 

GONHS volunteer and ringing trainer Ian 

Thompson has trained two Moroccan students 

from the University of Tetouan: 

Mohamed Amezian and Abdelahak Elbanak. 

Mohamed was further assisted with a scholarship 

from GONHS, which he fully deserved 

given his impressive academic ability and 

eagerness to learn. He has now obtained his 

BTO C-grade ringing license and a Moroccan 

ringing license. We hope that the students, 

and Mohamed in particular, will continue to 

ring in Morocco for years to come. 

As a result of Interreg, a series of publications 

have already been produced by the 

Gibraltar and Moroccan partners, dealing 

mainly with birds and invertebrates in northern 

Morocco. More publications will follow 

soon, including some on plants. 

A report on the project is currently being 

prepared, to be submitted to the EU and the 

Gibraltar Government, who co-sponsored the 

project. 

The project came to a close with a two 

week expedition to the south of Morocco in 

November, in order to survey habitats, and 

record and collect succulent plants, invertebrates, 

birds, reptiles, amphibians and scorpions. 

The range of habitats sampled was 

enormous, from the Alpine High Atlas to the 

desert near Algeria and the arid Atlantic coast 

of southwest Morocco. The work will further 

help discover and understand Morocco’s biodiversity. 

Even though the project is now over, we 

will continue to work closely with our 

Moroccan colleagues at the Universities of 

Rabat and Tetouan, which we view as permanent 

partners. Given 

the strong links 

forged between us, 

there is a strong 

desire to work 

together in the future. 

Although funding for 

Gibraltar-Morocco 

has not been 

approved for the next 

tranche of EU funding, 

GONHS will 

continue to explore 

avenues to ensure 

that our collaboration 

continues. 

Expedition to southern Morocco (2008) 

Abdelahak Elbanak & 

Mohamed Amezian training 

at Jews’ Gate, Gibraltar 

NOTES & NEWS 

BRANCHED CARLINE THISTLE 

The flat-topped carline thistle Carlina hispanica 

is very common and widespread on the Rock. 

On the other hand, the Branched carline thistle 

Carlina racemosa is very rarely seen. This year, 

after twenty years since the last one was seen on 

the Rock at Bruce’s Farm firebreak, a solitary 

plant appeared in the Alameda Botanic 

Gardens. The plant was quite small, and failed 

to provide viable seeds. 

CHRISTIANNE’S DIARY 

“My Nature Diary” by Christianne Fagan published 

as a limited edition just before Christmas 

is a delightful look at nature in Gibraltar 

through a schoolgirl’s eyes. Written in the early 

1980s, it records, in text, sketches and water 

colours, many different aspects of nature, many 

in the Botanic Gardens which the author frequented 

as a child. The notes are fascinating – 

and while not meant to be a textbook, give a 

real feel for what nature in Gibraltar has to 

offer. Many of the descriptions are exquisite, 

and to anyone who has lived in the same space 

as Christianne, generate an intense feeling of 

nostalgic warmth. A charming book that every 

nature lover with a connection with Gibraltar 

should have – and will treasure. 

CLEARING OF CHASMANTHE 

ON ST MICHAEL’S CAVE FIRE- 

BREAK 

For the past couple of years, the Upper Rock 

Team currently working under GONHS have 

been removing introduced species of plants 

from various places around the Nature Reserve. 

Recently they have turned their attention to 

removing the African Corn Flag Chasmanthe 

floribunda. This South African species is a garden 

escape, and has established itself in several 

places within the Nature Reserve, especially 

on the firebreak near St Michael’s Cave. It is an 

aggressive species, out-competing native 

species at an alarming rate on clearings and 

along roadsides. The Team has a hard task 

ahead of them! 


3


4 

ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE DEDICATING PART OF NATURE NEWS TO PROMOTING KNOWLEDGE OF 

SOME OF THE MAIN WILDLIFE SITES OF THE STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR 

Information used in these articles was collected during GIBMANATUR, the Gibraltar-Morocco Interreg IIIA 

project of collaboration between GONHS and the Institut Scientifique of the University of Rabat-Agdal 

Reeds and rushes in smir marsh 

The wetlands of Smir lie north of the city of 

Tetouan, separated from the lowlands below the 

city by the headland and hills of Cabo Negro. To 

the north of Smir are the foothills of Jbel Moussa, 

to the west a continuation of the limestone mountains 

that encircle Tetouan, and to the east the 

Mediterranean Sea. 

Visitors to the area will often drive along the 

coast road south from the Spanish enclave of 

Ceuta (Sebta) towards the town of M’diq, and, if 

they turn their eyes away from the yacht marina 

inland, will think that the wetland consists simply of 

one lagoon. In fact, although much decreased in 

size through recent decades, the wetlands and a 

complex of marsh, lagoons and a reservoir make 

up the most important wetland habitat on the east 

side of the Tangier Peninsula. 

The zone covers a surface area of about 175 

hectares. While it has a typical Mediterranean climate, 

its proximity to the Strait of Gibraltar makes 

SITES AROUND THE STRAIT 5 

THE SMIR WETLANDS 

it subject to high winds. 

Rainfall is over 600 mm 

per annum. 

Apart from direct 

rainfall, there are several 

main sources of water 

feeding the wetland. The 

sea enters the easternmost 

lagoon which is 

brackish and has surrounding 

it a vegetation 

typical of salt marsh. A 

significant amount of 

water enters the marsh 

from the south from the 

sewage outflow of M’diq. 

A considerable amount of 

groundwater flows in from 

the surrounding limestone 

hills, while the river Smir 

and several other smaller 

streams also supply water to the system. 

There are a number of important habitats in 

the area, all more or less influenced by the wetland 

system. One of these is made up of several areas 

of Tamarisk Tamarix africana scrub, much used by 

resident and migrant passerine birds especially 

when they are in flower as they have many invertebrates. 

Another sizeable area is made up of 

rushes Juncus spp., and also of bulrushes Typha 

spp. and reeds Phragmites australis. Around the 

eastern lagoon is a typical low salt marsh vegetation 

dominated by glassworts. 

One of the main habitats for birds over recent 

years has been the “new lagoon” created when the 

new Tetouan-Tangier motorway blocked drainage 

in a series of fields and result in flooding. The 

main vegetation here is the reed Phragmites australis. 

Deeper waters are provided by the nearby 

Smir reservoir or barrage. 

The whole of the area is extremely interesting 

for its fauna. Despite regular spraying to control 

mosquitoes, there are interesting invertebrates 

including several dragonflies rare in Morocco. 

Reptiles and amphibians, in particular Moroccan 

Toads Bufo mauritanicus and Stripeless Tree Frogs 

Hyla meridionalis abound and are most obvious 

and vociferous in spring. 

But it is for birds that the Smir wetlands stand 

out. It is a vital link in the chain for migrant birds, 

not just from wetland habitats, as data collected 

during GIBMANATUR has shown. It is also an 

important wintering site for many species, including 

Shoveler Anas clypeata, Common Coot Fulica 

atra and Penduline Tits Remiz pendulinus, considered 

a rarity in Morocco before our study. Tufted 

Duck Aythya fuligula are regular in Barrage Smir. 

Barrage Smir 

Possibly of greatest interest is the community 

of resident birds, some of which are of species rare 

or absent in the rest of Morocco – and indeed from 

the area of the Strait. Smir is considered among 

the seven top sites for wintering waterbirds in 

Morocco. 

The most significant discoveries of GIB- 

MANATUR are probably those related to nesting

Bufo mauritanicus 

Phragmites australis 

New Lagoon 

Purple swamphen 

Hyla meridionalis 

birds. There are 26 species of birds usually associated 

with wetlands nesting at Smir. These include 

5 herons, 5 from the rail family and 5 warblers. 

Six species have been recorded nesting at Smir for 

the first time, these being the Red-crested Pochard 

Netta rufina, the Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata, 

the Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus, the 

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius, the River 

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis and Savi’s Warbler 

Locustella luscinioides. 

There is a sizeable heronry with numbers of 

Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis and Little Egrets Egretta 

garzetta, Squacco Herons Ardeola ralloides and 

Black-crowned Night Herons Nycticorax nycticorax, 

and Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia, 

which first nested there in 1994. Glossy Ibises 

Plegadis falcinellus are frequent and regular and 

would be expected to nest there soon, provided the 

habitat survives. At least ten pairs of Purple Heron 

Ardea purpurea also nest there – a species very 

much in decline in Morocco. Other nesting species 

include Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus and 

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus. 

Purple Swamphens Porphyrio porphyrio are common 

– over 120 counted in May 2006, probably 

representing the most important population in 

Morocco. 

Significantly, many species were confirmed 

nesting in the New Lagoon, and others may do so, 

including Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, while 

others species, such as Whiskered Tern Chlidonias 

hybrida and Great White Egret Egretta alba turn 

up regularly. It is quite impressive to see a habitat 

become so important for birds in just a few 

years, and shows the resilience of the species in 

question and the logic of habitat creation and 

restoration in the region. 

However, as reported in Gibraltar Nature 

News 14, there is still concern about the future of 

the Smir marshes, particularly as the dumping of 

spoil continues and the threat from various developments 

increases. This is occurring in spite of the 

site being included in the planned intercontinental 

Biosphere Reserve linking Spain and Morocco. For 

now the future of the site remains uncertain, but we 

hope that if we combine our effort with that of our 

Moroccan colleagues, we could manage to influence 

the protection of at least some of the wetland 

habitat that exists here. 

Maximum counts of selected 

wetland bird species 

Species Max. counts 

Little Grebe 68 

Great Crested Grebe 45 

Cattle Egret 3159 

Squacco Heron 17 

Purple Heron 18 

Glossy Ibis 146 

Eurasian Spoonbill 26 

Greater Flamingo 350 

Greylag Goose 99 

Eurasian Wigeon 718 

Common Teal 364 

Mallard 371 

Northern Shoveler 1472 

Red-crested Pochard 259 

Common Pochard 335 

Tufted Duck 51 

Common Coot 2000 

Red-knobbed Coot 116 

Purple Swamphen 154 

Stone Curlew 40 

Ringed Plover 60 

Northern Lapwing 90 

Black-tailed Godwit 84 

Eurasian Curlew 23 

Smir wetland 

Dumping threatens Smir marsh 


5


6 

Although previous issues of Nature News have 

included various articles about the flora and fauna 

of Gibraltar’s coastline, the celebration of the Year 

of the Strait during 2008 would not be complete 

without including another one this year. 

Gibraltar’s natural coastline has been under 

heavy pressure from developers for some time now, 

and this pressure continues unabated. Less and less 

of it remains in its natural state, most of it being 

coastal cliffs around the southern parts of the Rock. 

On the whole these cliffs rise sheer from the sea, 

stretching from just south of Sandy Bay all the way 

round to Europa Point, and then on to Little Bay. A 

surprisingly large number of species of plants cling 

to them, surviving under quite harsh conditions. Less 

difficult conditions can be found where the coastline 

drops more gently towards the sea forming a rocky 

The mound at Europa point 


GIBRALTAR AND THE STRAIT 

shoreline. This can be seen at the Europa Point foreshore, 

from Little Bay to the South Mole, and to a 

limited extent between Catalan Bay and Sandy Bay. 

The Gibraltar sea lavender Limonium emarginatum 

is a common and widespread species all 

around the littoral. A large number can also be seen 

on the cliffs below Windmill Hill Flats, and a few on 

the North Face. Some can even be seen as far up as 

Martin’s Cave! This species is endemic to the Strait 

of Gibraltar and could well be considered the 

emblematic species of the Strait. Other than at 

Gibraltar, good stands can be seen along the Ceuta 

coast, at the Isla de las Palomas in Tarifa, and along 

the coast below Jbel Moussa. The plants found at the 

latter site are very stunted, with tiny leaves and very 

short flowering stems. This is probably due to the 

very high winds that blow continually along this part 

Lavatera mauritanica subsp davaei 

of the Strait. 

The vegetation that is found where the sea cliffs 

level off at the top is quite rich. This is very evident 

along Europa Advance Road, the mound at Europa 

Point and on the waste ground to the west and 

above the Mosque. The predominant species seen 

here are the winged sea lavender Limonium sinuatum, 

the wild carrot Daucus carota, the sea heath 

Frankenia laevis, the sea daisy Pallenis maritima, the 

purple viper’s bugloss Echium plantagineum, the 

rock samphire Crithmum maritimum, the bitter fennel 

Foeniculum vulgare subsp piperitum, the cineraria 

Senecio cineraria, the blunt-leaved catchfly Silene 

obtusifolia, the wild radish Raphanus raphanistrum, 

the squirting cucumber Ecballium elaterium and two 

species of mallow: the tree mallow Lavatera arborea 

and the Moroccan mallow Lavatera mauritanica 

subsp davaei. These species, together with many 

others, form a unique community of plants, typical 

of the littoral. 

The mount at Europa Point is also home to a 

number of rarer species such as the pink sandwort 

Minuartia geniculata, the Barbary nut Gynandriris 

sisyrinchium and the romulea Romulea clusiana; 

whilst down on the foreshore one can find important 

species such as the coastal ragwort Senecio leucanthemifolius 

which is becoming very rare in other 

parts of the Strait, and the shrubby seablite Suaeda 

vera which, on the Rock, is only found here. 

Lastly, it is worth mentioning the Tangier fennel 

Ferula tingitana and the Gibraltar candytuft Iberis 

gibraltarica. Both these plants are not coastal 

species, but they do link Gibraltar to Morocco. The 

candytuft is a North African species but is also found 

wild on the Rock and no-where else outside Africa. 

The fennel grows very well on the Rock as it does in 

the Tangier Peninsula, but is quite rare elsewhere in 

the Iberian Peninsula. 

Coastal flora along the top of the east side cliffs

Senecio leucanthemifolius 

Gynandridis sisyrinchium 

Limonium emarginatum 

Iberis gibraltarica 

Foeniculum vulgare subsp piperitum 

Ferula tingitana 

NOTES & NEWS 

DATABASING OF MOROCCO’S 

SUCCULENT PLANTS 

Following the Institut Scientifique de Rabat and 

GONHS-led visit to the south of Morocco, Dr 

Keith Bensusan of the Gibraltar Botanic 

Gardens has undertaken to coordinate a databasing 

system for Moroccan succulent plants 

that are found in the collections of botanic gardens 

and private collectors around the world. 

This is because many of these plants are restricted 

to Morocco, where the immense pressure 

placed on habitats by human activities threaten 

some of these species. The project aims to catalogue 

Moroccan plants in cultivation and promote 

the exchange of plant material, information 

and ideas between collections. The initiative 

has already attracted some interest and we 

hope that it will provide exciting results for the 

conservation of plants in Morocco. 

EXPEDITION TO THE SOUTH 

OF MOROCCO 

The final field trip under the GIBMANATUR 

project took place in November. The expedition 

took a team of botanists, entomologists 

(Arthropods), malacologists (Molluscs), herpetologists 

(Reptiles & Amphibians) and 

ornithologists to a large range of habitats in the 

south of Morocco, from the deserts close to the 

Algerian border and the arid southwest Atlantic 

coast, to the alpine High Atlas. The team 

included members of GONHS, the Institut 

Scientifique de Rabat, the University of Tetouan 

and the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens. A number 

of exciting finds were made and are being written 

up for publication in peer-reviewed journals. 

A report on this very fruitful trip will appear in 

the next issue of Gibraltar Nature News. 

EXPERT BUZZES ON 

GIBRALTAR’S DIPTERA 

Martin Ebejer is a dipterist based in the UK. He 

visited Gibraltar for a few days in late 

September and early October, following an 

invitation from his friend Rhian Guillem of the 

GONHS Invertebrate Section. Martin is an 

expert on Mediterranean Diptera (true flies). He 

spent his time on Gibraltar surveying the 

Diptera fauna of the main habitats on the Rock. 

He also offered very valuable advice to members 

of the Invertebrate Section on a wide range 

of issues, from sampling of invertebrates to 

curation of collections and beyond. During his 

visit, Martin collected close to 200 species of 

Diptera from Gibraltar, among which are some 

notable finds that will be reported on in due 

course. No stranger to the Mediterranean, this 

was nevertheless Martin’s first visit to the Rock. 

We hope that his results prove fruitful. The 

GONHS Invertebrate section gratefully appreciated 

Martin’s efforts, and hopes that his first visit 

will not be his last. 

JOHN CORTES ON FORUM 

COUNCIL 

GONHS General Secretary Dr John Cortes 

was elected to Council of the UK Overseas 

Territories Conservation Forum at its Annual 

General Meeting in December 2008. John has 

been active in the Forum for some years as the 

GONHS representative and will contribute to 

Council many years of experience in the field of 

nature conservation. 


7


8 

The sierras near the Spanish shore of the 

Strait are composed of sandstone. They have 

acidic soils and are shrouded partly or entirely in 

woodland that is composed primarily of Cork 

Oaks Quercus suber. These woodlands are 

known for their exceptionally rich flora and 

fauna and it is no surprise that they fall within a 

Nature Reserve. At some 177,000 ha., the 

‘Parque Natural de Los Alcornocales’ is not only 

the third-largest protected area in Andalucía, but 

also one of the most extensive in the whole of 

Spain. The Sierra del Bujeo, between Algeciras 

and Tarifa, is one of the highest mountains in 

this Nature Reserve. At more than 800m above 

sea level, it is double the height of the Rock of 

Gibraltar, which faces it across the Bay. 

The Sierra del Bujeo is itself dominated by 

Cork Oak woodland. The flora is characteristic 

of habitats with acidic soils. Alongside the Cork 

Oaks grow the smaller Strawberry Trees Arbutus 

unedo and deciduous Alder Buckthorn Frangula 

alnus. The former is the food plant of the large 

and attractive Two-tailed Pasha butterfly 

Charaxes jasius. Gorses and heaths predominate 

in the understorey, with other smaller plants 

such as Sage-leaved Cistus Cistus salvifolius and 

Genista tridentata occurring at lower densities. 

The Gorse Ulex borgiae is endemic to southernmost 

Spain and is abundant at El Bujeo. The 

most common heath species at this site is the 

green-flowered Erica scoparia. However, the 

Tree Heath Erica arborea and Southern Heath 

Erica australis are fairly common, as is Heather 

Calluna vulgaris. A special plant that grows well 

on banks is the carnivorous Drosophyllum lusitanicum. 

This species is almost endemic to habitats 

with acid soils on both sides of the Strait, with 

some populations in Portugal. 

The Cork Oak woodlands in southern Spain 

are very rich in birdlife. Even by their standards 

Bonelli’s Warbler 


EL BUJEO 

however, El Bujeo has an exceptionally rich avifauna. 

Typical species of these woods include 

the European Robin Erithacus rubecula, Crested 

Tit Lophophanes cristatus, Blue Tit Cyanistes 

caeruleus, Great Tit Parus major, Firecrest 

Regulus ignicapillus, European Nuthatch Sitta 

europaea, Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia 

brachydactyla and Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus. 

In most parts of the ‘Alcornocales’, the 

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major 

is the only woodpecker species. At El Bujeo 

however, it is joined by small numbers of Green 

Woodpeckers Picus viridis, which inhabit patches 

of Maritime Pine Pinus pinaster woodland. In 

the heath scrub, Dartford Warblers Sylvia undata 

are more often heard than seen. The rocky 

nature of much of the terrain affords opportunities 

for Rock Buntings Emberiza cia, which 

although not as common as on taller mountains, 

can be found if looked for. The taller rocky 

outcrops and cliffs provide nesting sites for 

Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus. These are often 

seen circling over El Bujeo, or sitting on rocky 

outcrops warming themselves up during sunny 

mornings. Other breeding birds of prey include 

Peregrines Falco peregrinus, Short-toed Eagles 

Circaetus gallicus, Booted Eagles Aquila pennata, 

Goshawks Accipiter gentilis and Common 

Buzzards Buteo buteo. The Long-legged 

Buzzard Buteo rufinus breeds in North Africa and 

is resident around the southern shore of the 

Strait. Individuals occasionally wander north to 

southern Spain and are frequently observed 

around El Bujeo. 

During the breeding season, the Cork Oaks 

are teaming with nesting Western Bonelli’s 

Warblers Phylloscopus bonelli, which winter 

south of the Sahara. The trilling song of the 

male is one of the most common sounds of this 

habitat during the spring and early summer. 

Drosophyllum lusitanicum 

Rhododendron ponticum subsp baeticum 

More localised, but still common, is the Iberian 

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus. This species is 

also a trans-Saharan migrant. Unlike the closely-related 

Western Bonelli’s Warbler, the Iberian 

Chiffchaff favours areas with Alders Alnus glutinosa 

and Algerian Oak Quercus canariensis 

along watercourses. This habitat also resounds 

to the song of the Nightingale Luscinia 

megarhynchos, especially in Bramble Rubus 

sambucifolius thickets. 

Pteridium aquilinum understorey

Quercus suber in the mist 

The mammal fauna of these woods is rich 

and abundant in areas. Predators are represented 

by the Red Fox Vulpes vulpes, Badger 

Meles meles, the common but highly nocturnal 

Small-spotted Genet Genetta genetta and the 

more diurnal Egyptian Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon. 

These last two species share a predominantly 

African distribution; both are widespread 

in the Afrotropics. Although the Genet 

extends into France, it is likely that both species 

were originally introduced to Iberia by the 

Moors, perhaps in an effort to control vermin. 

Present for hundreds of years though, they are 

well established elements of the mammalian 

fauna of Iberia. Large ungulates are also present. 

Male Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus can be 

heard barking in the woods during the autumn 

months. Although the habitat is prime for Wild 

Boar Sus scrofa, the population of this species in 

‘Los Alcornocales’ has been diluted by feral pigs 

which have interbred with their wild counterparts. 

Near the top of the Sierra del Bujeo, at 

around 750m above sea level, lies the Llano del 

Juncal. This is a truly magical area. The Llano 

itself is a flat and at-times boggy area of grasses 

and rushes. This creates an opening within 

extensive woodland of the deciduous Portuguese 

Oak Quercus faginea. The approach to the 

Llano del Juncal is of exceptional beauty. 

Frequently shrouded in cloud (often the infamous 

Levanter), these woods are often referred 

to as ‘cloud forest’. The exceptionally humid 

conditions allow the formation of thick clumps of 

moss, which hang off trees and rotting branches. 

Searching within these mosses, or under rotting 

branches or logs, may reveal the beautiful 

black and yellow Fire Salamander Salamandra 

salamandra. Another feature of these woods 

which reflects their humidity is the understorey, 

which is composed in part of native 

Rhododendrons Rhododendron ponticum 

baeticum. This plant is a relic of cooler periods 

and is now largely restricted to watercourses in 

southernmost Spain and Portugal. However, the 

woodland around the Llano del Juncal is humid 

enough for the species to grow freely in the 

understorey. Beautiful Calopteryx damselflies 

are common in the area, as well as the stunning 

yellow and black dragonfly Cordulegaster 

Frangula alnus 

boltonii, especially 

along streams. 

Leaving the woodland, 

a scrub composed of 

Erica species and 

Cistus populifolius may 

reveal Sardinian 

Warblers Sylvia 

melanocephala and 

Dartford Warblers 

Sylvia undata. On the 

slopes, Holly Ilex 

aquifolium towers over 

the Cork Oaks. This 

plant, which is common 

in central and 

northern Europe, is 

very rare and localised 

so far south. Finally, 

one is met with a stunning 

view across the 

bay, including the Rock 

of Gibraltar with the 

horizon above it! 

Most of the woodland 

on the southern 

shore of the Strait suffers 

from degradation, 

particularly overgrazing 

of goats and 

sheep. With the 

exception of Bouhachem between Tetouan and 

Chefchaouen, cork oak woodlands in Morocco 

are now by and large in a very poor state compared 

to their Spanish counterparts. This makes 

it especially important to conserve those areas of 

woodland that are in good condition. The designation 

of the ‘Alcornocales’ reserve goes some 

way towards achieving this. Having said that, 

some parts of these Cork Oak woods suffer 

from overgrazing by goats and sheep. Others 

are affected by the practice of ‘desbroze’, the 

clearing of understorey which, it is claimed, 

invigorates the growth of cork. Such claims 

remain unsubstantiated and are in any case 

firmly at odds with the conservation of plant and 

animal diversity within this important nature 

reserve. A key word in environmental circles 

nowadays is ‘sustainability’. Although the commercial 

use of natural habitats often contributes 

towards their conservation, the resulting activities 

can sometimes be detrimental to their wellbeing. 

Large areas of the ‘Alcornocales’, including 

parts of the Sierra del Bujeo, are well-managed 

from a wildlife perspective. It is up to the 

management of the Reserve to ensure that all 

areas are equally well managed. Most importantly, 

a balanced approach to the sustainable 

use of these important habitats should always be 

sought. 

NOTES & NEWS 

GIBRALTAR BEETLE IN RARE 

INVERTEBRATE PUBLICATION 

Buprestis sanguinea subsp calpetana, a beetle 

known only from Gibraltar, featured in the 

recently published ‘Libro Rojo de los 

Invertebrados de Andalucía’. This publication, 

which deals with rare and threatened invertebrates 

in Andalusia, bases the inclusion of this 

jewel beetle on the possibility that populations 

may exist elsewhere in southernmost Iberia. The 

chapter on this species was prepared by Antonio 

Verdugo Paez, a friend of Charlie Perez and 

Keith Bensusan of the GONHS Invertebrate 

Section, with whom he described this beetle as 

new to science. 

SHORT-TOED EAGLE 

POISONED 

A Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus that had 

been spending the winter on the Rock was 

handed in to the GONHS Raptor Rescue team 

recently, apparently with a broken leg. However, 

when inspected by local veterinarian Mark 

Pizarro, it transpired that the bird had in fact 

been poisoned, and that the weakness noted in 

the legs of the bird was a result of the toxin and 

not a breakage. It is likely that the poison had 

not been laid out for birds of prey, but rather 

against vermin, which the eagle may then have 

fed on. However, this highlights the danger that 

such baiting poses to wildlife. GONHS would 

like to take this opportunity to thank members of 

the public who hand-in birds that are injured or 

ill, as well as the Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic for 

its untiring support of our raptor rehabilitation 

work. 

NATURAL HISTORY COURSE – 

AUTUMN 2008 

14 people attended the second course on 

Natural History organised by GONHS, and coordinated 

by Albert Yome and Leslie Linares. 

Everyone who attended enjoyed the experience, 

and learnt much about Gibraltar’s biodiversity 

and of the work and research being carried out 

by GONHS. Because of the time of year, the 

weather played its part in causing some outings 

having to be rescheduled, and also on numbers 

attending some lectures. Careful thought will 

have to be given as to whether autumn, and its 

unpredictable weather, is a good time to run a 

course or not. 

TRIPARTITE FORUM 

GONHS, the Environmental Safety Group, and 

the Spanish environmental group AGADEN, 

submitted a document, through the Gibraltar 

Government, to the parties that make up the 

“Tripartite Forum” of discussion, the 

Governments of the United Kingdom, Spain and 

Gibraltar. This document was directed to the 

technical meeting held in autumn 2008, and 

was accompanied by an offer to provide more 

extensive information to the full political meeting 

in the spring. The groups urged the 

Governments to give priorities to environmental 

matters in their discussions, including the issues 

of pollution, the need for epidemiological studies, 

nature conservation outside protected areas, 

and the need to include Gibraltar and its waters 

in the Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve that 

currently includes only Spain and Morocco. 


9


10 

Seabird monitoring was carried out at the 

Europa Point Marine Observatory during the late 

afternoon and evening hours in the cool breeze of 

the early summer months. As expected, June was 

dominated by immature Audouin’s Gulls heading 

out of the Mediterranean, with the first juvenile 

birds observed from the 28th July. Passage was 

below average for the third year running possibly 

due to unfavourable wind conditions. 

Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls were also 

observed in small numbers during this period with 

some Oystercatchers, Common Sandpipers and 

Whimbrels seen on occasions, but overall there 

were no unusual observations. 

Common Waxbill 

EUROPEAN BAT NIGHT IN GIBRALTAR 2008 

This year's "European Bat Night" took place at 

the Open Air Theatre, within the Alameda Botanic 

Gardens on Saturday 30 August 2008. 

Just over twenty people attended the event, 

where they could sit very much as an audience 

watching a performance. A breezy evening 

appeared to restrict the activities of the Soprano 

pipistrelles Pipistrellus pygmaeus which are resident 

in the area and would usually have been our 

most frequent visitors. 

The Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural 

History Society (GONHS), which organised and 

promoted the event, had set up a bat detector 

connected to a loudspeaker, through which participants 

would be able to hear 'heterodyne' interpretations 

of the otherwise ultrasonic bat calls. 

Well after sunset, the first Schreiber's or Large 

bent wing bat Miniopterus schreibersii began their 

forays over the area of the pond and stage, often 

providing a little more than a glimpse before they 

Monarch Butterflies Danaus plexippus were 

a common sight in the Alameda Botanic 

Gardens and around Gibraltar, where they 

bred successfully, until they were killed off by the 

cold spell of January 2005. This included the 

only day in recorded history when frost lay on 

the ground for several hours in parts of the garden. 

Since then, the only observations were 

sporadic sightings of the butterfly from time to 

time, but inspection of the foodplant in the gardens 

revealed no signs of the caterpillar. 

During the autumn and winter of 2007–08, 

a concerted effort was made to establish additional 

foodplants for the butterfly. Over 600 

Asclepias curassavica plants were grown from 

seed in the gardens and planted out in key beds 

close to moist and shady locations where plenty 

of other nectar-bearing flowers were also 

grown. The plan after this was to establish a 

colony by transferring caterpillars from nearby 

BIRDING SCENE 

Some early returning passerine migrants were 

recorded on the Rock in summer, with Hoopoes 

and a Woodchat Shrike in mid June, and a flock of 

forty Flamingos over the harbour provided some 

colour to the month. Other passerine migrants in 

July included a Great Spotted Cuckoo, picked up 

exhausted, and a Spotted Flycatcher and a 

Melodious Warbler on Windmill Hill. July still had 

a late couple of Black Kites and Honey Buzzards 

heading north, with the first southbound raptor, a 

Black Kite on the 3rd. Raptor passage was poor 

during most of August due to unfavourable winds 

but the end of the month saw a change in the 

weather and over 10,492 Honey Buzzards were 

counted in a five-hour period as winds changed to 

westerly, together with good numbers of other raptors 

and many hundreds of Swallows and Beeeaters. 

A Waxbill seen flying south over the harbour 

area on the 16th of the month was relocated 

at the Botanic Gardens five days later and identified 

as a Common Waxbill. It remained in the 

Gardens for most of September feeding on grass 

seeds close to the office buildings. This species has 

a feral population in southern Spain and Portugal 

and has been recorded before on the Rock. 

disappeared from view. 

The bat detector proved its worth, by allowing 

all those present to hear its echolocation calls, 

even if some of the participants failed to spot the 

bat itself. 

MONARCH BUTTERFLIES ARE BACK 

colonies in Spain to the gardens, but this proved 

unnecessary as natural colonisation took place. 

In late May and June many plants showed 

signs of damage and on closer inspection the 

first caterpillars of the Monarch were found. 

During the summer months several broods 

emerged, once again providing the Botanic 

Gardens with a wonderful spectacle of nature 

as many of the Monarchs floated down from 

bloom to bloom to sip the nectar and provide 

visitors with marvellous views of these insects. 

The policy of the Alameda Botanic Gardens 

not to use either herbicides or pesticides is fundamental 

to the richness of the biodiversity of 

the gardens, where one can find an interesting 

selection of insect life living in harmony in a naturally 

controlled and balanced way that complements 

the botanical displays and enhances 

the conservation value of these gardens. 

The weather broke with early rains during the 

middle of September, resulting in some falls of 

migrants that would have gone through unnoticed 

otherwise. These produced several Redstarts, 

Willow Warblers, Tawny Pipits, Ortolan Buntings 

and early falls of Stonechats with the first Crag 

Martin and Grey Wagtail in mid month. Interesting 

sightings included Eleonora’s Falcons early in the 

month, four Night Herons over Jews’ Gate, two 

Grasshopper Warblers and a Trumpeter Finch, (9th 

record) on Windmill Hill. Thundery conditions on 

the 29th saw falls of Yellow Wagtails, Tawny and 

Tree Pipits, Willow Warblers, Wheatears, 

Whinchats, Stonechats and six Quails, with many of 

the migrants observed in the Gibraltar Botanic 

Gardens seen chasing scarab beetles as they 

emerged during the rains. The following days continued 

to bring migrants with a Wryneck, Redstarts, 

Pied and Spotted Flycatchers and many 

Phylloscopus Warblers, seen in the gardens and 

Short-toed Lark, Subalpine and Spectacled 

Warblers and Corn Bunting adding to the species 

list. 

Full details of all bird observations will be published 

in the 2008 Gibraltar Bird Report. 

Albert Yome, GONHS coordinator for 

European Bat Night, was on hand to answer many 

questions on bats, having first introduced the 

evening with a short chat on Gibraltar's bats and 

the threats they face. 

Albert Yome talking to those present

1ST INTERNATIONAL CAVE MONITORING FIELD WORKSHOP 

Jointly organised by Royal Holloway, University of London, University of Innsbruk 

and the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society. 

Monitoring headquarters, St Michael’s Cave 

In February, GONHS will be hosting the worlds 

first International Cave Monitoring Field Workshop. 

This will be a four-day event bringing cave and climate 

science specialists from all over the world to 

Gibraltar. Climate change studies have been a hot 

topic now for quite a few years involving different 

approaches to understand what the climate was like 

in the past. Gibraltar is in a uniquely important location 

to carry out this research not only because of its 

geographical location at the junction between two 

continents and two oceans but also because of the 

abundance of caves containing stalagmite records of 

past climates and long history of weather recording 

since the 18th century. 

Scientists involved in climate studies use a range 

of different specialised fields to uncover the past. For 

example, botanists can use tree rings to get a climate 

record over the last few millennia, scientists in polar 

regions take very long ice core samples spanning tens 

of thousands of years which provide a record of the 

atmosphere when the snow and ice were formed. 

Exactly the same happens when a stalagmite in a 

cave grows. The “rings” in a stalagmite corresponds 

to a layer of growth in the life time of the speleothem 

and may record the rainfall over periods spanning 

many seasons to individual storms. Stalagmites, like 

ice cores, tree rings, mud cores and even human hair, 

record a detailed record of what the environment was 

like when they grow undisturbed, sometimes over 

hundreds of thousands of years. The problem with 

most ‘proxy’ climate records such as pollen, tree rings 

etc. is that while they reveal general trends in climate 

(warmer-cooler, wetter-drier etc) they do not provide 

hard data (temperatures, rainfall amounts, weather 

patterns) that the climate modellers (the scientists that 

provide the all important predictions of the future 

weather) badly need. Stalagmites are one of the only 

proxies that have the potential to do this but only if it 

is known how the cave temperature and groundwater 

responds to different weather patterns. 

In 2004 The Royal Holloway University of 

London in partnership with the GONHS initiated an 

innovative research program on how a caves really 

work and how accurately stalagmites record the past 

climate. The study, supported by the UK Natural 

Environment Research Council, initially focussed on a 

small sample of a stalagmite from New St Michaels 

cave was taken to the hi-tech research laboratories in 

the Earth Sciences Department at Royal Holloway. 

Using laser systems and computer controlled 

micromilling instruments the isotopic record of the 

sample was investigated at the highest resolution ever 

made and provided the first ever record of monthly 

variations in growth of an active speleothem which 

could be accurately related to the weather above the 

cave. 

At the same time data logging systems were 

deployed in and around the cave, and in the soil horizons 

above the cave, to record temperatures, humidity, 

groundwater flow and air compositions. These 

systems have been managed by 

the Caves and Cliffs section of 

GOHNS who also carried out regular 

monthly sampling of groundwater 

and air for further analysis. 

Some of the gadgets needed, such 

as drip counters, carbon dioxide 

sensors and loggers were specially 

designed for this project and have 

provided data that have never 

been obtained for a cave system 

anywhere else in the world. Along 

with cave monitoring, the project 

has accrued numerous other firsts, 

ranging from using the latest techniques 

for analysing and imaging 

stalagmites at the European 

Synchrotron Facility in Grenoble, 

and resurveying the St Michaels 

system by precision laser scanning 

which is producing a highly accurate 

3-D computer model of the 

caves. 

After four years of hard work 

we have been able to show that 

cave monitoring is essential in 

order to understand the links 

between weather events and how 

these are recorded in stalagmites. 

The results of this research have 

provided some very interesting and 

sometimes unexpected results. We 

have found that cave ventilation is 

one of the most important controls 

on stalagmite growth and New St 

Michaels cave, takes two breaths a 

Kevin Dixon using a laser scanner 

to image the Lake Chamber 

year: it inhales in winter and exhales in summer. This 

has huge significance to the way stalagmites record 

climate and was only discovered whilst doing the 

study. Another important part of the project is understanding 

the passage of water as rain into the cave. 

The calcite that forms into a beautiful stalagmite is 

brought in by rainwater that has picked up carbonic 

acid as it travels through soil and dissolves rock along 

bedding planes, and deposits the calcite on the stalagmite 

has a new layer. Knowing exactly how long it 

took that rain water to appear in the cave is therefore 

important. For example, in an area of the cave we 

have sites just a few meters apart that respond completely 

differently – one has a response time to rain of 

only 6 hours others responds far more slowly. At 

another site water is now known to pass though a 

siphon type reservoir, indicating that the water is 

being stored before reaching the cave. All of these 

different responses measured across 4 years of monitoring 

have important effects on the way the 

speleothem grows and records climate. 

Gibraltar is now at the forefront of this field of 

research and in February we will be welcoming the 

cave science community from the US, Australia and 

all over Europe to discuss monitoring techniques and 

interpretation of climate records in cave deposits. A 

highlight of the meeting will be underground visits to 

see the cave monitoring systems running and gathering 

data which have now achieved international 

recognition. 

References 

Mattey, D., Latin, J.-P. and Ainsworth, M. Cave 

monitoring and calibration of a δ18O – climate 

transfer function in Gibraltar, PAGES Newsletter, 

16(3): 15-17, 2008 


11


12 

Cape Trafalgar marks the extreme west end of 

the Strait of Gibraltar. A low headland covered in 

dense Stone Pine woodland lies to the north, and to 

the south lies a system of consolidated and mobile 

coastal sand dunes. These dunes end in a small rocky 

promontory upon which is the Faro (lighthouse) de 

Trafalgar, reached via a causeway that is often covered 

by the mobile sands. The eastern part of this 

promontory forms a consolidated sand dune which is 

rich in coastal plant species, whilst broad rock platforms, 

which are exposed at low tide, stretch along its 

southern shoreline. 

Armeria pungens 


CAPE TRAFALGAR 

Low scrub east to Trafalgar lighthouse 

The vegetation on either side of the causeway 

leading to the Faro, and that on the shoreline around 

the promontory, is very typical of coastal dunes. For 

the species of plants growing here this habitat is a 

harsh one: they grow on sand with little fresh water 

moisture; they are exposed to strong sunlight and 

high temperatures in summer; and they are buffeted 

by strong, salt-laden winds. These plants are well 

adapted to survive these conditions, and have developed 

characteristics and strategies to withstand the 

harsh environment. 

A number of species have a waxy coating on 

leaves and stems which reduces water loss, and prevents 

sea salt from direct contact with the plant’s surface. 

Typical of these are the sea holly Eryngium maritimum 

and the sea daffodil Pancratium maritimum. 

Others have a covering of hairs. These hairs reduce 

water loss, reflect sunlight and keep sea salt away 

from the leaf surfaces. The cottonweed Achillea maritima 

and the sea medick Medicago marina have a 

dense woolly covering of hairs, whilst the sand lotus 

Lotus creticus has tiny, waxy hairs pressed up against 

the plant’s surface. Both of these adaptations, waxy 

cuticle and hair covering, tend to give these plants a 

grey-green or blue-green appearance. This colouration 

is quite dominant and is obvious even when the 

habitat is viewed from a distance. 

Some plants, such as the sand campion Silene 

littorea, have small glands on their surfaces which 

produce tiny droplets of a sticky liquid. This liquid 

traps particles of sand which will form a covering on 

the plant’s surface, once again protecting the plant 

from the elements. 

Since protection against water loss is vital to all 

plants found in this habitat, it is not surprising to find 

various mechanisms to counter this. Stomata (pores) 

on the leaf surfaces enable the essential exchange of 

gases between the plant’s internal tissues and the 

atmosphere, but they will also allow the escape of 

water vapour. So, generally the upper surface of 

leaves, which is subject to a higher exposure to the 

Orobanche densiflora 

Anthemis maritima 

Achillea maritima 

Anagallis monelli 

Acanthodactylus erythrurus

sun and thus a higher rate of evaporation, will contain 

many fewer stomata than the lower surface. In an 

attempt to further reduce water loss, the stomata may 

lie inside grooves formed on the leaf-surfaces, and in 

some species the leaves actually curl inwards, reducing 

water loss by evaporation even further. This is the 

case of the sea knotgrass Polygonum maritimum and 

several of the grasses found in the habitat. Others, 

such as the sea spurge Euphorbia paralias, have 

closely overlapping leaves towards the same aim. 

The mobility of the dunes is also a problem, as 

plants will have difficulty in rooting, and if they manage 

to do so they may get smothered by sand. But 

here the presence of marram grass Ammophila arenaria 

is important. This grass forms dense clumps 

which provide obstacles to the movement of the sand, 

and is thus an essential component in stabilising and 

consolidating the dune system. 

Many other attractive species are found on this 

habitat, and also further inland, including the middle 

slopes of the Faro promontory and even the Cape 

headland. Among these are: the shrubby pimpernel 

Anagallis monelli with its striking violet-blue flowers; 

the large-flowered knapweed Centaurea sphaerocephala; 

the aromatic sea chamomile Anthemis maritima; 

the beautiful prickly thrift Armeria pungens and 

the parasitic dense-flowered broomrape Orobanche 

densiflora. From the carrot family, there are the tall 

Thapsia villosa subsp. maxima and the tiny 

Pseudorlaya pumila, which usually lies half-buried in 

the sand. In the more marshy areas among the 

dunes, there are small stands of sharp rush Juncus 

acutus and sea rush Juncus maritimus. 

The surface of the sand dunes is often crisscrossed 

by the tracks left behind by numerous beetles 

and also by the Spiny-footed Lizard Acanthodactylus 

erythrurus. This is more evident in the morning when 

the sand has been dampened by the night dew and 

is undisturbed. The Spiny-footed Lizard is so-called 

Rock platform along shoreline 

Centaurea sphaerocephala 

because of the spines on its digits, which help it to 

walk across the sand. Acanthodactylus lizards are 

most diverse in desert regions and some species have 

highly developed spines to cope with the problem of 

running along sand dunes. Beetles walking along 

sand dunes are most often darkling beetles (family 

Tenebrionidae). Most residents of Gibraltar will be 

familiar with tenebrionid beetles. These are mainly 

large, black species with hard exoskeletons that prevent 

the loss of moisture. Thus, they do extremely well 

Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa 

in arid habitats such as dunes and deserts. 

Particularly common species in dune habitats include 

Pimelia fornicata, Pachychila germari and a range of 

Tentyria species. 

The vegetation of the upper parts of the Faro 

promontory is quite different to that on the dunes 

nearer the shoreline. Here it forms a fairly dense 

scrub of low shrubs growing on the sand, the roots of 

which often lie exposed on the surface, criss-crossing 

the more open areas and footpaths. There are several 

species of shrubs, including olive Olea europea; 

narrow-leaved phillyrea Phillyrea angustifolia; lentisc 

Pistacia lentiscus; prickly buckthorn Rhamnus 

lycioides subsp. oleoides; rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis; 

shrubby scorpion vetch Coronilla valentina 

subsp. glauca; and two species of juniper: prickly 

juniper Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa, and 

Phoenician juniper Juniperus phoenicea. Of the 

species of rockrose present, the most abundant are 

Halimium commutatum, which has rosemary-like 

leaves and Halimium halimifolium, which has broader, 

grey leaves. As can be expected, the exotic and 

invasive Hottentot fig Carpobrotus edulis is present in 

many places. 

The Faro comprises a good promontory from 

which to watch seabirds, particularly when onshore 

(westerly) winds blow during the spring and autumn 

migration periods. Morning watches are easiest during 

sunny days since the sun is in your eyes in the 

afternoons. As elsewhere along this coast, passage 

of Gannets Morus bassanus, Cory’s Shearwaters 

Calonectris diomedea, gulls and terns can be impressive. 

Its location on the Atlantic coast makes it a likely 

site at which rarer species may turn up. The Great 

Shearwater Puffinus gravis has been seen here in 

autumn for example. Off the town of Barbate itself, 

whale-watching tours take place as there is a resident 

population of Killer Whales Orca orca offshore. 

To the south of the Faro lie the impressive sea 

cliffs of the ‘Tajo de Barbate’. These hold a colony of 

Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis, as well as 

Jackdaws Corvus monedula and a pair of Peregrines 

Falco peregrinus. Until recently, these cliffs also supported 

a large colony of Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis 

and a few pairs of Little Egrets Egretta garzetta. 

These have moved away to nest in nearby La Janda, 

however. 

For the present, this coastline is in pristine condition, 

and free from the type of intensive touristic 

developments that afflict other coastlines in the area, 

especially along the Costa del Sol. But for how long, 

one can only speculate. It doesn’t take much to imagine 

some developer eyeing the large expanse of 

clean, sandy beaches and making plans to “improve” 

the area with new roads, hotels, etc. The recently 

designated ‘Parque Natural del Estrecho’ does not 

stretch this far north. Every effort should be made to 

conserve all of what is still a coastline of exceptional 

importance to wildlife of all forms. 

Silene littorea 

Halimium halimifolium 


13


14 

The city of Tetouan lies close to the 

Mediterranean shore of the east of the Tangier 

Peninsula, centred around a hill that overlooks the 

plains of the Oued El Maleh, south of Martil. 

Largely built over, and converted into agricultural 

land, the river’s flood plain gives a hint of what a 

wildlife habitat it once was. The area may well 

have resembled some of the habitats that are still 

found in a small scale in Smir, at a time when the 

populations of wetland birds in the area will have 

been much higher. 

There is a special hint of this in the area of 

Martil, to the east of Tetouan, where the river 

reaches the Mediterranean. There are several 

small pools along the river frequented by waders 

and other waterbirds, notably Spoonbills from the 

nearby Smir colony. The most valuable habitat 

here, however, is the small area of about half a 

square kilometre of relict coastal sand dunes 

between the road and the sea, tucked in between 

the river and a golf course. This area, threatened 

Erodium cheilanthifolium, El Jbel 

View north from El Jbel, with Jbel 

Moussa in the far distance 


TETOUAN: MOUNTAINS AND COASTLINE 

by deposition of urban rubbish and potential 

urbanisation, is a fascinating succession of plant 

communities, including grassy dune slacks, pools 

and Juniper Juniperus phoenicea scrub. 

This sandy area still has populations of spurthighed 

tortoise Testudo graeca, and of the 

African Bush Shrike or Chagra, now a bird rarely 

seen in the north of Morocco. The invertebrate 

community also shows fascinating affinities to 

mountain conifer communities, and is the subject 

of close study as part of the GIBMANATUR project. 

This small area of habitat is of immense value in 

view of the almost total absence of similar areas 

on both the African and European shores of the 

Strait and the region immediately 

to the east. 

North of Tetouan is a low 

stretch of mountains, rising to 

about 500m, that separates the 

lowland from the wetlands of 

Smir, and links up with the 

foothills of Jbel Moussa. To the 

south, the terrain rises quickly 

through Jbel El Bourja and Jbel 

Thora to 835m in the area of El 

Jbel, while the range continues 

to the south to link with the rest 

of the Rif, past Jbel Khelti which, 

at over 1700m, is a feature of 

the whole of the area, being visible 

from a wide range of locations, 

including from the north 

side of the Strait of Gibraltar. 

The vegetation on the 

slopes arising from Tetouan, 

after passing through the usual 

cultivated species linked with 

human habitation, such as giant 

reed Arundo donax and 

Looking east over the Martil sand 

dune complex 

Oenothera drummondii, Martil 

Silene andryalifolia, El Jbel 

Juniper scrub - a rare and important 

habitat

Bougainvillea Bougainvillea spectabilis, consists of 

a Mediterranean scrub and pine Pinus pinaster 

woodland, with typical scrub species including 

notably the lentisc Pistacia lentiscus. 

The scrub and woodland soon give way to 

open ground, the beginnings of many square 

kilometres of mountain continuing southward into 

the Rif to Chefchauoen and beyond. 

The open vegetation is largely low and 

degraded, due to intense grazing by goats, except 

in several pockets near the scattered villages, 

where wheat is grown and where fields with wild 

flowers provide spectacular colour. The vertical 

cliffs are relatively protected from grazing, and 

here a number of plant species thrive, including 

the Giant Tangier fennel, Ferula tingitana, the saxifrage 

Saxifraga globulifera, and the campion 

Silene andryalifolia, which was the focus of the 

GIBMANATUR work in this area. One particularly 

attractive flower of the mountain is Erodium 

cheilanthifolium which forms tight carpets in some 

exposed areas. 

The mountains have an interesting community 

of birds. The main species encountered are the 

Black Wheatear and the characteristic Moussier’s 

Redstart, with Thekla Lark also being present. 

Raptors include Long-legged Buzzard and Lanner, 

while Ravens are always a feature. 

Another typical mountain bird, the Chough, is 

common and can be seen in flocks circling the 

hillsides or feeding on the ground. Curiously, 

despite the relatively low altitude, the Alpine 

Chough is also present throughout the year, and 

although less so than the Chough, is still common 

and a likely breeder here. 

The area as a whole provides stunning views 

in all directions, including northwards towards 

Gibraltar and the Strait. 

Nestled among the hillsides are a number of 

communities and traditional activities, which 

include grazing of livestock and lime production. 

These contrast with what is becoming a major 

industry in the area, the quarrying of rock, which 

is threatening some interesting landscapes and 

habitats. 

Echium boissieri, El Jbel 

Moussier’s Redstart 

Paronychia capitata, El Jbel 

Traditional production of lime 

Polygonum maritimum, Martil 

NOTES & NEWS 

MORE HYMENOPTERA IN 

SECTION’S SCOPE 

The GONHS Invertebrate Section is always busy. 

Recently, Rhian Guillem has made enormous 

headway in the study of the ants of Gibraltar, 

with the Rock’s myrmecological fauna now 

largely catalogued and a fine reference collection 

prepared. Ants belong to the order 

Hymenoptera, which includes bees and wasps. 

Now, Rhian is expanding her interest to include 

other groups within this enormous order. She 

has begun to collect and identify Mutillidae 

(Velvet Ants) and Chrysididae (Rubytail Wasps) 

and is beginning to expand into other families. 

Anybody wishing to know about Hymenoptera 

in Gibraltar should contact Rhian Guillem 

(ants@gonhs.org). Keith Bensusan (kbensusan@gonhs.org) 

can provide additional information 

on the activities of the Invertebrate section. 

TORRES RETURNS 

Jose Luis Torres is an entomologist from the 

neighbouring town of La Linea. After an inactive 

few years, ‘Pepe’ is now working in the field of 

entomology (the study of invertebrates) once 

again, following his retirement. Pepe began collecting 

and studying butterflies and moths in the 

1970s, but eventually moved on to beetles which 

have remained his passion. An expert field 

worker, Pepe does not limit his collecting to 

Coleoptera. Recently, he has made significant 

finds of Hemiptera (true bugs) and ants. Pepe 

has a solid friendship with Charlie Perez, Rhian 

Guillem and Keith Bensusan of the GONHS 

Invertebrate section and visits them regularly on 

the Rock. During his visits, Pepe frequently supplies 

them with interesting specimens for study 

and invaluable information on how to find 

species that are rare or difficult to locate. 

Working collaboration between Pepe and 

GONHS members has already resulted in publications 

in entomological journals and we 

expect many more. 

TO JOIN... and support our 

work send your subcription 

to GONHS, PO Box 843, 

Gibraltar with your name 

and address, or fill in the 

on-line form at: 

www.gonhs.org 


15


Oil slick at Camp Bay the 

day after the storm 

that we believe are now being addressed. In 

August 2007 the New Flame ran aground off 

Europa Point, leading to much controversy and 

comments about a failure in communication 

between the port authorities of Gibraltar and 

Algeciras. The case of the Fedra is still under 

investigation, as several officers were arrested 

at the time, but there are indications that some 

procedures may not have been followed which 

may have averted the disaster. 

With more and more ships in our waters 

and with – some say – increasing likelihood of 

storms as climate patterns alter, the risk of further 

accidents will increase, at least statistically. 

On this occasion the culprit was known, the 

authorities responded quickly, and spillage 

was not great. But it is essential that the highest 

standards be attained, technically, legally 

and in enforcement, in such a prominent area 

for shipping. It is possibly even more important 

that there should be full co-operation with 

Gibraltar from the Algeciras Port Authority – 

something that has been lacking in the past. 

When it comes to the danger to human life, 

some of which appear to be endemic to the Bay. and to the environment, questioning of 

The Gibraltar Port Authority immediately whether or not Gibraltar has territorial waters, 

assumed the responsibility of tackling both the fades into insignificance. The considerable finan- 

question of recovery and salvage and the environcial cost and carbon footprint of the rescue operamental 

issues. They engaged Oil Spill Response tion must not be forgotten. 

Ltd (OSRL), a UK-based oil spill recovery company, But then there is the issue of what remains 

which dealt with the oil promptly and as well as behind. It has always been assumed that the 

possible under the circumstances. There was full remains of a wreck once they are clean and no 

consultation with all stakeholders in Gibraltar, longer a danger to shipping, must be taken away. 

including GONHS. In addition, the Environmental Sometimes the action of picking, or dragging 

Safety group (ESG) organised a team of 12 volun- wrecks across the sea bed will cause more damage 

teers to do further oil clearance in Little Bay and to the environment than leaving it untouched. 

Camp Bay. 

Clearly it depends on the substrate and on ecolog- 

Even the relatively small oil spill put recreical consideration, but in at least some of the cases 

ational areas out of bounds for several weeks and in Gibraltar, it would be logical to allow nature to 

compromised Gibraltar’s water intake system put- colonise the wreck – much of it has already in the 

ting pressure on potable water, which is produced case of the New Flame – rather than risk damage 

by desalination of sea water. This was at a time to the natural communities. This is especially so 

when the same storms that affected the Fedra had bearing in mind that all three wrecks have taken 

all but destroyed the salt water system. This led to place within the boundaries of an official European 

much of Gibraltar using potable water to flush 

their toilets, at a time 

when water conserva- 

Union Site of Community Interest. 

tion should have 

been at its highest. 

The danger to 

water supplies from a 

larger, persistent oil 

spill became ominously 

obvious. 

Accidents do 

happen, but three 

ships with problems 

in such rapid succession 

do raise questions. 

With the 

Samothrakis months 

before, the report that 

resulted from the official 

investigation 

raised issues about 

procedures. Issues 

Polluted shoreline at Camp Bay 

Clean-up operation at 

Camp Bay 

ESG volunteers at 

Little Bay 

The Fedra 2 days after 

the storm 

Clean-up operation at 

Rosia Bay 

Volunteers clearing up 

the oil

No.16 - Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society

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